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Sunday, March 11, 2018

Why this Bookworm Enjoys Book-to-Movie Adaptations

You may have heard me complain about movies. You may have
even heard me say I don’t like films. I am a bookworm, after all. Perhaps it
comes from being raised with a family obsessed with movies. I can’t tell you
how many movies my family likes to watch in a given week or how often we talk
in movie quotes.

Sometimes, though, it’s relieving not to be surrounded by
fellow bookworms. I don’t have to worry about spoilers. I have the freedom to
summarize and give away plot points just so I can talk about a book. But still,
it can be disheartening to pick up a book, thoroughly enjoy it, and know that
I’m one of the one people nearby who will be able to appreciate it for what it
is…

… until the movie comes out.

Book-to-movie
adaptations help connect readers with non-readers.

There’s always going to be the debate between the movie fans
and the purists who have read the books. Laying aside the controversy, can we
just take the time to appreciate how people who might not read can be exposed
to the story?

When I was studying for my undergraduate, every time I came
home for Christmas Break, my dad and I would go out to see the latest Hunger Games film. Between the first two
movies, I read the books, and could talk with my dad about his theories. The
only bad part came when my dad and I were talking about dystopian book-to-movie
adaptations, and I accidentally spoiled the end of Allegiant (book 3 in the Divergent
trilogy). Whoops.

Movies help readers
discover more books.

There are sooooo many books I discovered thanks to the film
industry. Without having seen the latest musical adaptation (and my slight
obsession with) Les Miserables, I
wouldn’t have picked up the book. Without my dad’s obsession with sci-fi
movies, I probably never would have started reading Ender’s Saga. If my brother hadn’t ended up seeing The Help and ranted about how good it
was, I might not have discovered the book.

The list goes on.

Now, I make it my policy to read the book before I see the
film. That means, if a film is coming to theaters, I have to get a head start
and check it out from the library before everybody else. Otherwise, I’ll wait a
year or two before all the hype dies down and then check out the books.

Watching your
favorite characters be brought to life on screen is exciting!

What more is there to say? Movie posters, your favorite
actors, your favorite quote made into a gif—they’re all exciting. Sure, you may
have some inaccuracies. These are actual people you’re dealing with after all,
not the characters themselves.

Another fun element is, of course, the setting. Honestly,
sets tend to be far more detailed than my imagination is capable of.

The hype can be fun.

Whenever I’m super excited for a movie, I will re-watch the
trailer over and over until I can quote it, annoying my sister whenever we see
the trailer in theaters. I started this terrible habit a long time ago, before Prince Caspian came out. I replayed the
trailer because I wanted a glimpse of King Miraz’s face, which they never
actually showed in the trailer.

Even more recently, my sister and I have taken to wearing
the colors of our favorite characters whenever we go to see a movie we’re
excited about. For Captain America: Civil
War, she wore red, I wore blue. For Thor:
Ragnarok, we both wore green. You get the picture.

However, too much hype can lead to high expectations, which
can lead to greater disappointment if the movie doesn’t meet them. It’s always
best to remember that the movie probably won’t
be accurate to the book.

Well-written
soundtracks are fun to listen to over and over again.

I particularly enjoy writing to soundtracks, and I
especially like picking certain soundtracks for certain stories. This is
probably the writer in me speaking, but music is great for students as well.
Not only do soundtracks help me concentrate on writing, but they also let me
relive the experience of watching the film.

Just a couple of my favorite book-to-movie adaptations
include Anne of Green Gables; The Book Thief; the most recent Bridge to Terabithia; Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell
(actually adapted into a BBC series); the latest version of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe; The Lord of the Rings; To Kill a Mockingbird; and Wonder.

I’m not denying that there are downsides to book-to-movie
adaptations. A lot of times, the director will change the plot, cut out certain
important characters, you name it. Whenever it comes to books-turned-movies,
readers are bound to be disappointed in one way or another. But let’s at least
take the time to appreciate it for what it is—an interpretation. Whether it’s a
good one or not, movies can bring bookworms and non-bookworms together. Readers
unite!

Let’s chat! What are some of your favorite perks about
book-to-movie adaptations? What are your least favorite aspects? And last but
not least, what do you consider the best book-to-movie adaptation?